The Presbyterian College baseball team combined for 19 hits, including 12 in the second game, to cruise to the 6-1 and 7-1 wins over the New Jersey Institute of Technology this afternoon at the PC Baseball Complex in Clinton, S.C.

PC improved to 6-10, while NJIT dropped to 4-4.

Leading the Blue Hose was Jay Lizanich who recorded five hits in seven at-bats, including three in the first game. Nathan Chong went three-for-six with a team-leading three RBI, two of them coming in game one.

Bud Jeter picked up the win in the first game, throwing 6.0 innings, scattering five hits with four strikeouts to move to 1-3 on the year. Chandler Knox improved to 1-1 on the year, going 7.0 innings in the second game start and surrendering just one unearned run off seven hits.

Mike Rampone paced the Highlanders offensively with a three-for-nine effort. Tripp Davis gave up five earned runs off seven hits in 6.0 innings in the first game to take the loss and go to 2-3 overall. D.J. Roche took the loss in the second game (2-1), pitching 5.0 innings, striking out six and surrendering six earned runs off eight hits.

The Blue Hose and Highlanders meet again Sunday, Mar. 11 at 1 p.m. for the final game of the series.

PC 6, NJIT 1Brandon Paul opened the bottom of the second with a hit by pitch and advanced to third after Lizanich doubled to left field. Nathan Chong hit a sacrifice fly, which brought in Paul. Lizanich scored the next at-bat when Aaron Preston grounded out to the shortstop.

PC made it a five-run game with three in the fourth inning. Tony Micklon singled to left to open the fourth and reached second off a sacrifice bunt by Paul. Lizanich laid down a perfect bunt to third to advance Micklon a base, while Chong's base hit up the middle brought him home. Preston's sacrifice fly brought home Lizanich and a single by Gabe Grammer plated Chong to give the Blue Hose the 5-0 lead.

The Blue Hose added a run in the fifth when Lizanich came through again, singling up the middle with one out to bring in Micklon, who had reached earlier on a hit by pitch.

NJIT scored in the top of the ninth to cut the margin to five. With two outs, Jeff Pizzi drew a walk and scored the next at-bat after Ed Charlton doubled to right field. The potential rally was short-lived as the Highlanders flied out to right field two batters later, sealing the 6-1 PC win.

PC 7, NJIT 1A six-run second inning proved to be NJIT's undoing in the 7-1 loss. After Paul opened the inning with a double, the next PC batter struck out. Chong next stepped to the plate and knocked a RBI triple to right centerfield, driving in Paul. After the next batter struck out, Grammer drew a walk and advanced to second after Billy Motroni beat out his bunt single back to the pitcher.

NJIT walked the next three batters to load the bases and bring in two runs. A NJIT wild pitch brought in the fourth run and a Paul single up the middle brought in the fifth and sixth runs.

The Highlanders scored in the fourth after leading off the inning with an out then back-to-back hits. Tom Bouck, who was on base after hitting a single up the middle earlier, reached third off a fielder's choice then scored off a throwing error by PC.

PC's seventh run came in the bottom of the seventh after the Blue Hose loaded the bases off a double, single and walk. Andrew Williams drew PC's sixth walk of the game to bring in the final run.